Cinderella Of Konoha
by KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga
Summary: AU Haruno Sakura is a beautiful orphan university student who works as a waitress. Even if she wishes to attend the huge university ball which is going to take place, she has to work late that evening. But what if there was a possibility to go? She just has to get back before midnight…
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Warnings. This isn't going to follow the original beautiful fairytale of Cinderella. It was partly inspired by the movie "A Cinderella Story", but it's completely different.

I hope you enjoy :-)

…

…

…

_Crash_.

The young pink-haired woman sighed. It had happened again. And it would be her fault. _Again_.

"Haruno!" shrilled a voice. "You are going to clean it up immediately! And I'm charging you for these!"

Sakura nodded without a word and proceeded to clean up the mess of three broken plates and a crystal glass.

Mrs Yamanaka hmphd and walked away. Only then did Uchiha Sasuke leave his hiding place. He smirked arrogantly at Sakura and deliberately stomped upon the broken dishes.

The emerald-eyed woman didn't even blink and continued with her work. Arguing wasn't worth it. She knew she couldn't say anything. Not in that moment, anyway.

Sakura was a twenty-year-old very pretty university student. She wanted to become a medic and studied hard to get the perfect grades she needed in order to pass her exams. Not that that was a problem. She had always been a dedicated student, knowing very well that in order to save lives, she needed to have all the knowledge possible. She had been able, with hard work and her impressive talent, to enter the Uchiha University of Konoha. It was a very prestigious school, and usually only who had the money to afford it could get in. But Sakura had managed just with her skills. Even if she was regarded with suspicion at first, the teachers and most of her schoolmates had recognised her hard-working, kind-hearted spirit and had accepted her. The Uchiha University was a very… compact organisation. It was a private school, and therefore different from others. In fact, it had a high-school atmosphere, only everyone was older. Usually rich people got there, even if only the best managed to get a degree. There were few people with a normal background, like Sakura.

Not that Sakura's life had been normal. Her parents had died when she was a little girl. She had been raised by her godmother, Tsunade, who was an exceptional doctor. Even if she wasn't a perfect woman, she had taken care of Sakura the best way she could, and the pink-haired woman felt that her young years had been very happy ones.

However, when Tsunade's long-term fiancée Dan had died as Sakura was fifteen, the older woman had been devastated. For her surrogate-daughter's sake, she had struggled to go on. Sadly, that was not meant to be. She had been diagnosed with cancer.

It had happened when Sakura was eighteen. Tsunade was serene about it all. She explained to her goddaughter that she had known about her disease for years. Dan had known, and had given her the strength to carry on. Tsunade explained that she should have already died by Sakura's seventeenth birthday, but she had been fighting against death to be there for her. But now she couldn't fight anymore. It was too late. And she asked Sakura if she could understand and forgive her.

Sakura did understand. And she did forgive her godmother. So, when Tsunade died a few months later, Sakura had had time to prepare herself and could receive her blessing without crying. Not in front of her, at least. It had still been difficult to realize that she was totally alone in the world.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. She had a few very good friends she could count on. One of them was Naruto, a loud and outrageously always happy boy of her same age. Ha had lost his parents when he was little, too, but his godfather, Jiraiya, who took care of him, was still alive. He was a bit dense sometimes, but he had a big heart and would do anything – really anything – if it was what Sakura needed. Then there was Sai, an always-serious and almost emotionless artist, who actually called her some weird names, but who never judged her and listened attentively when she spoke, because he said she was an inspiration for his drawings. There was also Kakashi, a silver-haired man who still treated her like a child, but who cared about her because her mother had been a childhood friend of his.

Sakura didn't have female best friends. She sometimes spoke with Hinata in the hall, a very shy but nice girl who had a big crush on Naruto, although he was completely oblivious about it.

She didn't have any other close friends. She was well-liked by almost everybody, except a group of girls in the nurse classes. They were led by this platinum blonde-dyed of her same age, Ino, who was, plainly put, a bitch. She was arrogant, even if she wasn't very good at what she did. Her manners were those of a slut. And she hated Sakura, although the pink-haired woman didn't know why.

However, even if Ino often tried to discredit Sakura – she had even whispered during class, quite noisily, that Sakura had slept with the principal in order to get into that university –, she was nothing compared to Uchiha Sasuke.

He was a very lazy student – he had already repeated a year – of her same age, very arrogant and very full of himself. He was the son of the principal and therefore acted superiorly. He was quite attractive, but he was a cold-hearted monster. He was awful to anyone who dared cross his path. And he used girls like toys whenever he felt like it. The stories on that subject were many and really scary. The latest was about a girl named Karin, who was one year older than Sakura. Karin had had a crush on Sasuke for a long time. He had somehow found out and decided to play with her feelings. He had made her think that he felt something for her too, so she would trust him. Then, when he had invited her over one night, he had planned everything so that she would find him in bed with another girl, who also had a crush on him. Karin wasn't a weak person and, furious, had told him what she thought of him. So, without remorse, he had raped her. Karin hadn't been able to denounce him, because he had threatened her and her family. She had therefore been forced to drop out of school in order to be free of him.

Sakura had been deeply shocked by that story. Sasuke's father, the principal, knew nothing of it. And Sasuke had a few "friends", Suigetsu and Juugo, who threatened verbally and physically anyone who dared interfere in his plans. The worse of it all was that Sasuke had tried to hit on Sakura. She had tried to act oblivious for a while, and it seemed to have worked. But Sasuke hadn't forgiven her subtle rejection and found a way to make her pay for it.

Sakura, when she was left alone in the world, in order to maintain herself, had had to find a job. Tsunade and her parents had actually left her a very big amount of money, but she would receive it only on her twenty-first birthday. So she had to survive on her own for the moment. At eighteen, she had found a job as a waitress in a restaurant next to the Uchiha University. She was paid very well and she didn't have a lot of working hours.

Unfortunately, the restaurant belonged to Ino's parents. Her employers had always been satisfied with her job, but since the day Ino had begun to speak ill of her at school, they regarded her with more hostility. The pink-haired young woman knew that her job was on the line. She badly needed the money she earned, because the university was of excellent level, but a very expensive one. And if she dropped out, by law she couldn't enter there ever again.

Sasuke had only made her position worse. He had found out where she worked and begun to sabotage her job. He made little – or not so little – accidents happen, making sure it looked like Sakura's fault. And she couldn't say a word, because he had blackmailed her. If he had threatened her directly, Sakura would have fought back. Tsunade had taught her self-defence, and the emerald-eyed girl had a very strong punch. But Sasuke had threatened to expel Hinata. Even if she wasn't Sakura's greatest friend, she was a nice girl and she had a difficult situation with her rich father, who expected a lot from her. She was doing fine at university, but if she was expelled, her life would be over.

So Sakura had had to stay quiet, watching Sasuke destroying pieces of her life and enjoying it cruelly.

However, she hadn't been inactive. The restaurant manager, a young and dynamic woman named Shizune, had been acquainted with Tsunade and was very fond of Sakura. She wasn't prejudiced like the Yamanaka couple, and had great influence on everything that concerned the restaurant. Sakura had privately suggested to her that it would be a wise idea to install hidden cameras in the staff-only parts of the restaurant. _Just to control what happens_, she had explained. Shizune had looked at her with eyes full of questions, since her employers had told her to keep an eye on the pink-haired student, and to be ready to fire her. As if reading her mind, Sakura had added innocently, _You could control my actions better this way_.

The cameras had been installed for quite a while now. Shizune hadn't said anything to her, but the way she had once met her gaze had told her that she knew. Sasuke's actions had been filmed, together with his words, _This will teach you something, Haruno. You're going to pay for rejecting me_, and they were safely recorded on tape.

However, Shizune couldn't do anything immediately. The Yamanaka were quite stubborn people, and had insisted they speak with their manager only once a month, during the staff-meeting. In that occasion, she would tell them everything. They had actually made Shizune sign a deal about it when she had begun working there (years prior), so she would lose her job if she didn't obey. That had left Sakura with no choice but to wait for the next meeting, which would be ten days later. She just had to made sure she wasn't fired before then.

Luckily for her, Sasuke had stopped doing anything too outrageous. Compared to the time when he had almost put the building on fire, making it look like her fault, breaking three plates and a crystal glass was nothing. But why had he suddenly calmed down so much?

The answer was easy enough. A short while before, his older brother had come to study at Uchiha University. Uchiha Itachi was a man who was rumoured to be a genius. He was three years older than Sasuke and had spent one year studying abroad. He had come back for his last year of university. He seemed to be really clever and was an exceptional student. He was taking his degree in engineering and information technology.

And he had a strange power over Sasuke. They were rumoured to have had words, and Sasuke had stopped taking advantage of girls since then. He had also reduced his bullying a lot, even if he hadn't stopped completely. But Sakura had found out the most shocking thing from Hinata. The shy girl had told her that her family, the Hyugas, had many contacts among many countries, and some were also in a very far town where Karin had gone to live. Well, it appeared that Uchiha Itachi had gone there with his brother and forced him to apologize to the girl. Then he had promised Karin and her family that they would receive anything they would need. Hinata had told Sakura that Itachi had personally made sure of that, and he had done that not with the Uchiha money, but with Sasuke's personal funds, one that every Uchiha received at birth.

Once, in the female bathroom, Sakura had also overheard Ino chatting with her girlfriends. They had found out that a few days before, in the Uchiha backyard, Sasuke had had an argument with his older brother; or better, Sasuke had yelled at him, while Itachi had told him calmly and bluntly that now he – Sasuke – was on his own and that no Uchiha would ever be there for him again.

Sakura had thought about all that for a long time. Uchiha Itachi was now greatly admired in the whole university. He had been admired upon arrival as well, because he was very good-looking. He was tall, dark-eyed and with long dark hair which should have been girlish, but were actually very manly. He had a deep, rich voice, and was always well-mannered and a perfect gentleman; and in every hallway, during breaks, Sakura was sure to find a group of girls who were gushing about him. To sum it up: he was the most popular guy in Uchiha University. And maybe even outside it.

The emerald-eyed young girl herself had to admit that he was very attractive. She had actually bumped into him once, when she was getting out of class. She had been holding a pile of books and had been thinking about which points of the femoral artery were closer to the skin surface when she had crushed into someone. She had lost her balance and her books had scattered all over the floor. She had been about to fall on them as well, and had already closed her eyes in defeat, waiting for the impact, but it never happened. A strong pair of arms had grabbed her around the waist and steadied her. Surprised, she had opened her eyes, only to stare into the very close, pitch-black ones of Uchiha Itachi.

She had managed not to blush. He had blinked once, and then, like a gentleman, had picked up all her books and handed them to her. She had thanked him, grateful, for both his actions, and he had seemed surprised by her sincere gratitude. He had smiled a little, acknowledged her with a short nod of his head and walked away. And Sakura had had a hard time in trying to get his handsome face out of her mind. His eyes were black, but with the reflection of the light they got a light shadow of dark blue. He had deep stress lines, that emphasized his dedication as a student, and that made him look older than he was. Sakura had tried – tried – to firmly ban him from her mind from then onwards. To no avail, of course.

She herself didn't think much of her own appearance. She had green eyes and pink hair, but her pink hair was always tied in a bun and covered with a headband, because she didn't want people to inquiry about its unusual colour, and she didn't want to dye it either. She tried not to stand out in the university, because people were quick to judge and even quicker to condemn.

The pretty medic-to-be sighed quietly. _Get a grip and stop daydreaming,_ she told herself firmly. She finished cleaning up the mess of dishes Sasuke had provoked, and then went back to the front of the restaurant. It was quite the fancy place, even if – thankfully for her – it didn't stay open too late into the night, closing at midnight. Sakura greeted a few people at the bar, giving them what they asked for and smiling pleasantly when required. Some of the regular customers smiled fondly at her and she nodded back. It was almost six in the evening, so Sakura's shift was almost finished. When she didn't have the evening shift, she usually helped at the bar.

When her shift was over, she made sure everything was in its right place and went to the staff-only rooms. She changed from her uniform into her normal clothes and took her school bag. She walked out from the back door and went towards a quiet part of the city of Konoha. There, she stopped in front of a very large house, which radiated warmth and affection, but had also and underlying feeling of sadness and loneliness.

She walked in.

…

…


	2. Chapter 2

…

Sakura walked into the house, and was immediately greeted by a woman with shoulder-length blue hair.

"Good evening, Sakura," the woman said, smiling.

"Hello, Konan," the pink-haired student replied. "I hope I'm not disturbing. Have they finished dinner?"

"Yes, they are already in the playing room and are eagerly awaiting you."

Sakura smiled. Konan and her husband Pain were very rich, but couldn't have children. They had therefore decided to open a school-orphanage. They loved children and took care of their needs, raising and protecting them with real affection. They couldn't wipe out those children's tragic past, but they could help them by giving them a family. A caring and warm family.

And Sakura loved helping them. She had found out about the existence of the orphanage when one of the children had gotten ill and had been cured by Tsunade, many years before. Since then, she had made a point of visiting the children as often as she could. In the last year or so, her classes had become harder, and so she had ended up visiting the children only once a week. Nonetheless, they were still very excited every time she visited them, because she sometimes brought candies, told them stories, but especially because she obviously loved them.

That evening, Pain had to go to a business meeting, therefore Sakura came to help with the children. There were five at the moment, with ages that stretched from six to ten. The emerald-eyed woman felt her heart full of happiness as she watched them running towards her with huge grins. She helped them learning a new poem by heart, told them some stories she remembered from Tsunade and then put them to bed. Konan was there the entire time, smiling fondly at both Sakura and her family.

As soon as the children were in bed, Konan asked Sakura to stay for a cup of tea. Konan cared about her and usually asked her to speak about her life. Sakura accepted the offer and, as the blue-haired woman poured the tea, they sat in companionable silence.

Then Konan asked, "How is it going at university, Sakura?"

"Fine, I suppose. I passed all the anatomy tests. My nurse classes are almost over, the exams are in two days."

"I wish you luck, of course," Konan replied, "but I know you, and I'm sure you won't need it. You'll pass with flying colours."

Sakura blushed and didn't respond. Konan continued, "Besides your exams, something else?"

"Well, work is going fine, I think. My friend Naruto has decided to study food engineering. He's going to attend Namikaze University, which is almost outside Konoha. He seems to like it. My friend Hinata managed to pass her tests about the eye-retina; she is specializing in eye-sight diseases."

"But what about your life, Sakura?" Konan interrupted her. "Something new?"

"No, actually," Sakura said, almost apologetically. "Ah, no, wait, I forgot!" Her face suddenly became excited. "There is going to be the official university ball next week!"

Konan narrowed her eyes. "This is the first time I see you excited about an outdoor event, my dear," she said.

Sakura fidgeted a bit. Konan knew her too well. "I just wish to go. It's going to be a huge masquerade-event. Everyone can dress with normal party-dresses, but we will all have to wear a full-facial mask. Only eyes can be revealed. I think it's going to be great."

Konan asked, "When is it going to take place?"

"This Saturday night," Sakura answered.

Konan regarded her carefully. "But isn't Saturday one of the evenings in which you have to work the night shift at the restaurant?"

"Yes, it is; but I asked to do the evening shift instead. I never asked for anything before, so they told me it was okay. And, besides… We are allowed to bring guests of our age, so Naruto and Sai are going to be there, too. And it will probably be the only occasion to spend a night in a more carefree-way."

"Do you already have a dress, Sakura?"

Her face fell. "Actually, I don't… But I was thinking about the second-hand shop near my apartment. Maybe they have something there…"

Konan didn't say anything. She was thinking. After a few minutes, she got up, signalling that their conversation was over. She embraced Sakura, thanking her for her help, and guided her to the door.

When the pink-haired student had gone home, Konan took her mobile, searched through her personal notebook and dialled a number.

"Hello, I'm Yahiko Konan," she said as someone picked up on the other side. "I'd like to speak to you about Haruno Sakura."

…

...

Sakura walked home after that. She took out all her notes about her nurse-classes and began reading them. When she was halfway through them, she went to sleep. She would finish them the next day, because she had only afternoon lessons.

The next day, she finished reading her notes and took out the books. After studying diligently, she went to class. She would have lessons the next day as well, then the day after there would be the nurse exams, and then it would already be Saturday. The problem of finding a dress was still on her mind, but she had other things to worry about. She wanted to pass her nurse exams so she wouldn't be in the same class as Ino anymore.

And she still had to invite her friends to the ball. Now, that ball was probably one of the most famous events of the region. All students of university were invited. And Sakura wanted to go SO badly. She never went out because she studied too much. She now wanted to live a little. She was twenty, for heaven's sake. She thought she deserved a short break from her studies.

She picked up her phone and called Naruto. He immediately said he would come and, at her suspicions, sheepishly admitted that Hinata had already asked him to accompany her. Sakura exclaimed that _it was about time_, and told him not to mess up. Before she could hang up, however, Naruto added, "Hey Sakura, even if I'm going to accompany Hinata, you are going to be with us the whole night. I'm not going to neglect my best friend, now, am I?"

Sakura was touched by his kindness, but insisted he took care of Hinata for that night. Naruto, however, wouldn't budge. Only when Sakura heard Hinata's voice as well – because she was with Naruto in that moment… –, who told her she would like to go together with both her and Naruto, did Sakura accept. She thanked them and hung up.

Lessons that day weren't particularly difficult, so Sakura went through them easily. She then went to work, where she was relieved not to see Sasuke anywhere. She was able to complete her shift without problems, and then went home.

The next day, she received a phone call from the university, which informed her that the nurse exams had been anticipated to that afternoon. Sakura had already studied and was re-reading her notes in that exact moment, so she had no problem with it.

So that afternoon, she was able to answer all the question and she felt relieved when it was finally over. She went to work feeling lighter.

But she couldn't imagine what was going to happen.

…

…

…

A/N:

Don't worry… Konan isn't a villain. And Hinata and Naruto are just on a date. I don't hate that couple, but I don't like it either. I'm not in favour or against any particular couple of the Naruto world.


	3. Chapter 3

…

When Sakura arrived at the restaurant, she immediately felt that something wasn't right. Mrs Yamanaka, who was furious, summoned her. As soon as Sakura was in her office, the woman started screaming.

"You! You awful lying little bitch! How did you dare steal from us! And actually thinking you could get away with it!"

Sakura was shocked. Stealing? She hadn't stolen anything!

Through her employer's rambling, Sakura managed to understand that a few hundred bucks had gone missing. And, by some person who was reliable, according to Mrs Yamanaka, Sakura had been accused of the theft. The Yamanaka woman shouted that she should have known better than to hire such a terrible person as Sakura, and insulted her harshly through her speech.

Mrs Yamanaka then continued, "You better give the money back immediately, and, by the way, you're fired!"

Sakura couldn't stay silent any longer. "Mrs Yamanaka," she said, with a firm voice, even if inside she was shaking, "I didn't steal anything. I refuse to be accused and pay the consequences for something I didn't do."

Mrs Yamanaka eyed her with disdain. "You selfish, untrustworthy, disgusting bitch! Give the money back!"

"I didn't steal it! Stop accusing me!" Sakura shot back, standing her ground, even if she knew that there was a lot at stake.

The owner of the restaurant seemed to be ready to attack her physically. But in that moment the door slammed open, and Shizune stormed in.

"Mrs Yamanaka," she said, voice full of authority, "I have installed hidden cameras all around the restaurant a few weeks ago. During our next staff-meeting, I will be able to show you the recordings. Until then, we can't be sure whether Sakura is the thief or not."

There was a long silence. Sakura was terrified. Not for herself, but for Shizune. The manager had just put her job on the line to defend her.

After that very tense silence, Mrs Yamanka snapped, "Fine, then. Until next Thursday, when we have the staff-meeting, you can keep your job, Haruno. But you will do extra shifts, and you'll do them for free, because I'm sure you're the one who stole the money, even if I can't prove it right now. My daughter had warned me about you. I should have acted immediately. You will do your normal shifts as usual and every night shift, from tonight onwards."

Sakura's eyes widened. A night shift was from eight o'clock to midnight! But then…

"Mrs Yamanaka," she hastily said, "I had asked to be dispensed of Saturday's night shift and do the evening one instead…"

The woman's eyes gleamed unkindly. "I couldn't care less, Haruno. On Saturday you will do both the evening and the night shift. I will attend the university ball with my daughter. And I will be back precisely at midnight. If you're not here until the last second of your shift, you'll be fired on the spot."

With a look of evil triumph, Mrs Yamanaka walked away. Shizune was about to say something, when Sakura whispered, "I'm really grateful, Shizune. But you shouldn't have put your job on the line for this."

Shizune shook her head. "Don't mention it, Sakura. I know you're innocent, and no one is going to accuse you when I'm around. I'm more worried about you. I know how badly wanted to attend this ball…"

Sakura tried to smile. "Yeah, I know… But I need this job so much, I will have to do what Mrs Yamanaka ordered me to do. Thank you again, Shizune."

Sakura exited the office and went to do her shift, which would be longer since she had also the night shift. She sighed. She would have to call Naruto, Sai and Hinata the next day, and tell them she wouldn't be able to go to the ball.

The pink-haired student felt very sad. She knew it wasn't such a big deal, not being able to go to a university ball, but she had really wanted to go.

There was nothing to do, however. If she left the restaurant, she would be fired. So she would have to stay.

End of the story.

Sakura sighed again and went to work.

…

...

"You are not giving up now, Sakura. You _are_ going to that ball, should it be the last thing you do!" Kakashi told her firmly.

It was Saturday morning. The day before, Sakura had called her friends and told them what had happened. She had also called Konan, explaining why she couldn't go visit the children the next few days. All her friends had been indignant and expressed their sympathy. However, she hadn't expected them not to accept the situation.

That morning, Kakashi, Sai and Naruto had come to her apartment. While she was preparing coffee for them, they tried their best to convince her to go to the ball.

"No, guys. Did you already forget? I'm going to get fired if I leave. And I need this job, so I can't get fired. Simple as that," she said, categorically.

"And that's why we are here, Sakura," Naruto said, stubbornly. "We know you want to go to the ball. The problem is, you have to be at the restaurant at the same time. So, _what if someone else took your place at the restaurant_?"

Sakura said, "No, this would…" She abruptly stopped and stared at him. "_What?_"

"You heard me, Sakura," the blond continued. "If someone took your place at the restaurant and you make sure you're going to be back before midnight, everything should be fine."

Sakura stared at her friends. Were they _crazy_?

"No, Sakura, we are not crazy," Sai said, as if reading her mind. "Think about it. I'm your same height and we look a lot alike. You always keep your hair in a messy bun and often cover it with a foulard, so it would work if I had to impersonate you."

Sakura was still speechless. Disguise as a girl for one evening? But why would he do such a thing?

Again, Sai seemed to read her mind. "I don't really want to go to the ball, Sakura. It's for university students, I'd be bored. Plus, that evening a lot of people will go there, so the restaurant will be almost empty. And if you're wondering why I'd help you… well, I owe you, Sakura."

She furrowed her brow. He owed her? Oh, wait, he hadn't possibly found out…

"Sakura," Sai said, now very serious, observing her intently, "I know it was you who helped my little brother when he had a panic attack and fled from the hospital before his emergency operation. It was you who saved him from the thunderstorm, comforted and reassured him, brought him back to the hospital and assisted during the whole surgery. Even if you didn't want to let me know, I've found out. He told me himself. Now, I know you want to go to the ball, so let me say 'thank you' by helping you with it."

Sakura had blushed when Sai had told her he knew about what she'd done a few months before. She didn't think he owed her anything. And she didn't think it was fair, making him take her place for one evening. But he seemed determined and willing to help her. She took a deep breath.

"Sai, I don't actually know what to say," she said, prudently. "It's incredibly kind of you to accept to pretend to be me for this evening, but I don't think it would be fair on you. And besides," she continued before he could interrupt her, "it wouldn't be worth the trouble, because I have nothing to wear for tonight."

"Ah, but that's where I get in, Sakura," Kakashi said with a wink. "The day before yesterday I received a phone call from a woman, Yahiko Konan. She's the one from the orphanage, correct? Well, she wanted to make sure you went to that ball, Sakura, because she said, and I agree with her, that you deserve it. You see, she was once acquainted with your mother, and she knew that Mebuki was my childhood friend. Konan wanted to tell me she had a few things that belonged to your mother. Among these things," and Kakashi took out a key, "there are also some dresses."

He gave Sakura the key. "Konan told me they are in a storage room near your old house, and this is the key. You should really go and try them on, Sakura."

"Sakura," Naruto added, "we want you to go to the ball. You deserve some fun, and it isn't fair that because of someone else's theft, you shouldn't be allowed to do what you want to do."

Naruto's words made Sakura think. Beside the fact that maybe, yeah, she deserved a break from her secluded life, who had actually stolen the money? She immediately thought of Sasuke. Yes, it must be him. He still wanted to make her pay for rejecting him.

But if it had been Sasuke… then he would know that she wouldn't be able to go to the ball. And if she went to the ball… there was the Yamanaka family as well. What if they recognized her?

Sakura proceeded to voice her fears, and for the first time that morning, the three men laughed.

"Oh, about this, Sakura," Kakashi said, with a strange look, "you mustn't worry at all."

And all three refused to tell her anything else.

…

...

Later that afternoon, Sakura found the storage room. The only things that were there were actually a dozen very pretty dresses, complete with accessories and jewels. Sakura didn't know which one to choose.

She examined all the dresses. One was blue, another green, another purple, another lilac, one pink, one black, and so on. Sakura's attention was caught by the emerald one, which suited her eyes but had otherwise nothing remarkable, and the red one, which was beautiful. While examining the red one, a little note hidden inside slipped on the floor. Sakura picked it up and read it. She inhaled sharply.

_My prom dress. When I met Kizashi. I shall never forget that night._

It was her mother's handwriting. That was the dress her mother had worn when she had met her dad.

There was no more thinking to do. Sakura would wear the red one.

Sakura found the accessories and the jewels that went with the dress and packed everything carefully together. She closed the storage room and went back to her apartment. She washed her hair quickly and went to Kakashi's house, which was quite near the restaurant, where her friends were expecting her. To her surprise, there was Shizune, too.

"Shizune? But what…"

The manager interrupted her. "I'm going to help Sai tonight, so no one will suspect anything."

Sakura didn't know what to say. "Oh," she said, and choked down a sob, "you are all too nice to me!"

"Shut up, Sakura," Kakashi said gruffly. "Let's get you ready for tonight. You are going to wear make-up, Sakura. No excuses. I know you know how to apply it, and it's to make sure no one recognizes you. So go on. Astonish us," he added.

Sakura smirked a little. She went to the bathroom and locked herself inside. She had decided to make the most of her 'forbidden night', as she liked to call it, since her friends were doing so much to allow her to go there. She got dressed and put a necklace, earrings and bracelets on, together with the nice heels that went together with the outfit. She wasn't used to heels, but knew how to walk in them properly. She usually kept her hair tied up, but tonight she didn't want to be recognized, so she decided to change. She brushed her long pink locks and let them cascade down her back. That way they would gracefully accompany her every movement. She then applied make-up over her eyes, to deepen their colour and emphasize their expressivity. To complete her appearance, she put on the mask that had been given to every university student the day before. It covered the entire face, leaving two openings for the eyes, allowing to breathe, and stopping right above the lips. Sakura put a light lip-gloss on them, just enough to make them perfect. The last thing to do was put everything she needed in her little red handbag, and naturally put an alarm for a quarter before midnight on her mobile.

When she was ready, Sakura put her other things inside a big bag she would leave at Kakashi's. She then exited the bathroom and entered the living room, where everyone else was waiting.

Naruto was walking up and down the room impatiently. "Finally, Sakura! Another minute and I'd have…" He stopped dead in his tracks.

All the others were speechless as well. In front of them was a beautiful young woman, masked, with a dress that hugged her curves and showed her feminine charms. The heels made her look older and more mature than she already was. Every single detail was perfect, and she was truly a beauty to behold.

"You are very pretty, Sakura," Hinata stuttered, full of admiration.

"When I told you to astonish us, Sakura, I didn't think you would take it so seriously," Kakashi added.

Sakura laughed, a bit shyly. "I'm glad you like it. And honestly…" She looked at them seriously. "Thank you so much for everything you're doing for me. I am so happy to be able to go to this ball. Thank you. Really."

"Don't worry about it," Shizune said warmly. "Now, listen to me. Sai will leave the restaurant with my help a few minutes before midnight. And there is your uniform waiting for you in the deserted wardrobe near the emergency exit of the university, the one next to the restaurant. I couldn't hide it inside the restaurant because there are the cameras…"

"Right," Sakura nodded. "I'll make sure to be there before midnight, so I can change and sneak back into the restaurant. And really," she added, "thank you so much, everyone."

"We're happy to help you, Sakura," Kakashi replied for them all. "Now go and enjoy yourself!"

…

…

…

A/N:

About Sakura's dress: I don't know if red actually suits her the best. I just wanted to keep close to her ninja attire. And I didn't describe the dress because the perfect one for Sakura is different for every reader, so… unleash your imagination ;-)

About Sai's little brother: it's just a reference to Sakura's kindness and her loving heart, and I don't think I'll explain more about it.

And sorry, but Sakura isn't going to lose a shoe, or a mobile, or an mp3 player. It doesn't fit my version of the story, so it's not going to happen.

Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

…

Naruto, Hinata and Sakura walked to the Uchiha University together. They were a bit late but, according to Hinata, it was better. They would attract less attention that way. Sakura had thanked both Naruto and her, but they had shushed her immediately. They were convinced she deserved that chance to have some fun. And Naruto, despite being overprotective, secretly hoped she would find someone she liked as well.

When they arrived at the entrance, where they could hear a loud music, Sakura waited outside and let them enter first. She had explained that the Yamanakas knew she and Naruto were friends, so it was better to keep some distance. Both Hinata and Naruto weren't happy about it, but knew it was necessary in order to maintain Sakura's incognito.

After a few minutes, Sakura decided to enter. She didn't know what to expect.

She certainly didn't expect a long staircase, that every person who wanted to enter the ballroom had to walk down, so everyone would get their spotlight moment. Hinata and Naruto were already lost in the crowd that was down there. Some other people had walked down after them, too. And now it was her turn.

Sakura took a deep breath. Then she smiled and began walking down the long stairs. There was a sudden stillness in the room, even while the music still kept going.

Sakura couldn't know, but her appearance had been… unexpected. She was really beautiful, and everyone could see that. She was like an ethereal angel, who was now going to grace the mortals with its beauty.

When she got to the bottom, the crowd seemed to part to let her through. She felt a little embarrassed, since everyone was staring at her. She tried to ignore it and walked towards the drink and snack table. Fortunately, the commotion about her arrival soon faded when the music changed into something more hip hop.

Sakura, relieved because she wasn't the centre of everyone's focus anymore, reached the table that was by the opposite wall of the room. She looked for a non-alcohol beverage: she couldn't afford to get even the tiniest bit tipsy, because if Mrs Yamanaka suspected anything she would be fired. Besides, she didn't like drinking anyway. So she grabbed an orange juice and turned to observe the room.

People were dancing in the middle. The dancers weren't amateurs: only those who could actually dance where doing so, the others watched. Fortunately, everyone at Uchiha University could dance, so those who watched were doing it because they didn't have a partner; but they could enjoy the ball anyway.

Sakura liked watching other people enjoy themselves. She smiled observing the people who danced. Everyone looked happy and at ease. She spotted Yamanaka Ino in one corner, chatting away with her friends, and with her parents close; Sakura carefully avoided that part of the room.

She then noticed that the party wasn't only in that room, but continued also outside, in the university yard. It was more quiet there. Sakura decided to stay in the ballroom for a while. It was highly improbable that she would get a chance to dance, even if she loved it. However, the atmosphere was nice, and she wanted to enjoy herself as much as she could.

She hadn't noticed how many males were observing her. And among them there was also Uchiha Sasuke. Every man present had been attracted to her beauty the instant she had entered the room, even if no one had recognized her. Sasuke observed her hungrily for a while, but before he could make his move, something happened.

The pink-haired student, completely oblivious to the stares she still attracted, was walking around the ballroom, observing people with a fond smile on her lips. She was so focused on the dancers that she didn't notice a man elegantly dressed in black, and bumped right into him. Her drink almost spilled over.

Sakura managed to steady herself and turned around to face the person she had accidentally hit, only to stare into the dark eyes – which, yes, had a faint shimmer of blue – of a very familiar man.

She gasped slightly. "Uchiha Itachi?" she stammered. Then she remembered what had just happened. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings," she apologized, putting her juice on a nearby table.

The man's eyes twinkled in amusement. "I could see that," he said. "You were extremely focused on the people who are dancing together."

Sakura lowered her eyes, thankful for the mask, which could hide her blush. "Yeah, I like watching people who are happy," she said with a smile, "And it seems everyone here is."

Itachi observed her carefully. "You're a kind-hearted person," he stated, to Sakura's great surprise.

She was silent. How was she supposed to answer to that? And, besides, she was still checking him out. He was _drop-dead gorgeous_.

But she snapped out of her musings because he continued, "You are obviously watching those who are dancing, but did you also observe the others who are not?"

The emerald-eyed young woman was a bit confused. "They're watching the dancers, like I do," she said.

Itachi smirked. "No, you're wrong. They are watching _you_," he told her.

Sakura's eyes widened. For an instant, she seemed so scared that Itachi was perplexed. Wasn't she happy that people found her attractive? He himself had been pleasantly surprised by her appearance that night.

But she seemed to be preoccupied with something else. So Itachi decided to be a bit more forward. "I take that, since you didn't notice the open admiration of which you are surrounded, you wouldn't mind dancing with me?"

Sakura's surprise grew. Uchiha Itachi had asked her to dance? Really? _Her_?

Then she grinned sheepishly. "Why not?" she said with a smile, noticing that the music was a slower one. "I love dancing as much as I love watching people who dance."

Itachi took her hand gently and guided her to the middle of the dance floor. There, he put a hand on her waist and began dancing with her.

He was a perfect dancing partner, Sakura noticed. He was in time with the music and guided her confidently through the song. She told him so.

Itachi smiled a little. "Thank you. You are a very good dancer as well."

After a while, Sakura was feeling a bit embarrassed. They weren't having any conversation. She cleared her throat and said, "So, are you enjoying yourself this evening?" She immediately berated herself for the superficiality of such a question.

"Actually, since I met you, yes," he answered, with a little twinkle in his eyes. "And you?"

Sakura smiled. A lovely, honest, sweet smile. "Yes. Thanks to you."

Itachi's hand, who was posed on her waist, now sneaked around it. "Oh? And why is that?"

Sakura continued smiling. "I love dancing, but one can dance only if there is a partner. And if the partner is good, the dance gets even better," she told him truthfully.

The tall Uchiha smiled at her and they continued spinning for a while. Then, when the music changed into a faster one, difficult to dance to, she asked him if he didn't mind going outside. He readily agreed and took her hand again. They left the ballroom and went to the university yard.

The atmosphere there was calmer and quieter. There were few people around them, and they were all couples. Sakura was embarrassed, because with their hand-holding, they looked like a couple as well.

Itachi guided her to one of the paths of the yard, and they walked for a while in silence. Then he asked, "Do you like being among people?"

Sakura thought about the question. "It depends," she said. "I usually don't like crowds, I feel like I'm suffocating. I actually live on my own and don't go out very much, so I guess I don't like large groups of people. However, I love being with children or my closest friends. And I prefer meeting people when I can have an actual conversation with them." She stopped abruptly, realizing how much of herself she had revealed. _Just shut up,_ she told herself. _Ask _him_ questions_. "What about you?"

"I like having face to face conversations, like you said," Itachi answered. "I don't mind large groups of people, but only when I can find someone pleasant among them," he added with a little smile.

He then asked, "What do you study?"

Sakura wasn't sure if she should answer that question. She had already said too much. But there were a lot of students in her classes, so would it really be dangerous to tell him what she studied? And Itachi would probably forget her existence the next day, anyway. So she told him she studied to become a medic.

He didn't seem surprised. Just to be kind, she asked him the same question. He told her what she – and everyone else – already knew, and he seemed to genuinely like what he did. For a while they discussed animatedly about their studies, describing the various exams they had to take and sharing stories about their teachers and classmates. Sakura made sure to be very careful about anything she said.

They continued walking, engaging then in small talk. When they passed near a bush of wonderful red roses, Itachi picked one and offered it to Sakura with a small bow. She accepted it with a shy smile.

"Thank you…" she said, looking up at him through her lashes.

Itachi regarded her attentively. Then he said, "I still don't know your name."

Sakura didn't answer the indirect question. She knew she couldn't tell him who she was, because there was the risk that someone else would find out that she wasn't supposed to be there. Though, she mused, Uchiha Itachi was a very reserved person, so he probably wouldn't betray her identity. Not intentionally, at least.

"But I know who you are anyway," the man continued.

Sakura went rigid. Her gaze was full of fear now.

Itachi raised one eyebrow at her obvious terror. "Don't worry, I don't know your name. But I do recognize you. We bumped into each other a few weeks ago, when you were exiting a class."

Sakura was very surprised at his memory. So surprised that she didn't deny anything. "How did you recognize me? I'm wearing a mask and I'm dressed very differently…"

Itachi smirked a little. "I have to admit, if I had only seen your clothes and your hair, I wouldn't have recognized you. But I saw your eyes, rose-girl…" Sakura had to smile a little at the name, while his gaze became intense. "Your eyes are unmistakable."

Sakura was so enraptured by his own eyes, while he regarded her with a strong emotion she couldn't quite place, that it took her some time to realize what he had actually said. When she did, she almost panicked.

She took his arm and dragged him to a more secluded place of the yard. Making sure there was no one else around, she then turned to face him seriously. Only to find his eyes on her, still with that intense gaze.

She swallowed and tried to maintain her composure. "Itachi," and her serious tone managed to 'awaken' them both, "I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone that I was here tonight. But especially," and her tone became desperate, "to your brother Uchiha Sasuke."

At the mentioning of his brother's name Itachi's head snapped up and, forgetting his manners, he grabbed her shoulders. He observed her with eyes that had suddenly become very penetrating.

Sakura didn't even bother to hide her desperation under his scrutiny. He should know how important it was to her.

"Rose-girl," he said, and his tone was as sharp as a razor, "what did my brother do to you?"

The pink-haired beauty swallowed. How could she explain to him what was going on?

In that exact moment, her mobile began to peep and vibrate. Sakura almost jumped out of her skin, while Itachi didn't seem fazed and still waited for her answer.

Sakura knew she didn't have time to do anything else. She had to go. But Itachi was still holding her firmly. So she did the only thing that could possibly free her.

Taking one step forward, she pressed her lips against his.

His surprise was exactly what she had hoped for. She took advantage of it, breaking free from his grasp and taking one step back. She had still the red flower in her hand. Realizing she couldn't take it to the restaurant, she grabbed his right hand and gave him the rose back, quickly.

"I have to go. Thank you for the wonderful evening and please don't tell anyone I was here. Please!" she begged. She then spun on her heels and ran away.

It was probably for the best that she didn't turn around, because if she had, she wouldn't have believed her eyes.

Itachi's eyes were wide, and he was looking from the rose to her with a completely dazed expression.

When he finally broke out from his stupor and decided to follow the 'rose-girl', it was too late.

She had already disappeared.

…

…

…

A/N: I liked this chapter more than the others. What do you think?

And I know… bumping into each other is a terrible cliché… but I can't help liking it.

Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

…

Sakura was running like mad. She could hear her heart racing in her ears.

She had only a few minutes before Mrs Yamanaka got back to the restaurant. She reached the wardrobe near the emergency exit of the university, where Shizune had hidden her things. She quickly slipped out of her dress and heels and put her uniform on. She put her hair in her usual messy bun and took off her jewels.

She threw the mask together with all her stuff in a bag Shizune had left her. She would collect everything the next day.

She hastily wiped the make-up away with a tissue she had already prepared in advance and then ran out of the university. Luckily the restaurant was next to it, so she had only a short way to run. She got to the back entrance and checked the clock. She had only three minutes left. She quietly entered the place and went quickly to the front bar. There was no one around.

Just in time. The clock hand pointed to midnight right in that instant. The front door opened and Mrs Yamanaka, a bit unsteady on her feet, walked in. She scanned the room with mistrust, almost expecting to see something wrong. Sakura hastily pretended to be finishing cleaning the bar cups. She was extremely on edge.

Mrs Yamanaka came towards her, still wobbling a bit. She was probably drunk. Sakura tried to act the way a young woman who had just missed a ball would. So she said, "Good evening, Mrs Yamanaka. How was the ball?"

She knew her acting skills were poor, but she tried to put some longing into the question.

The older woman waved it off. "Nothing special, lots of noise, lots of people. The' were few people who had taste in dressin', not many girls worth seein', even less boys. Of course, the' were a few who looked nice, for example, Uchiha Itachi was one of the most handsome ones, such a charmin' young man. Of the girls only my Ino was worth of attention, maybe a few others were 'kay, yeah, there was this blonde with short hair who looked nice but was a lesbian, then one with crispy brown hair that got to her feet. Oh, 'm almost forgetting, there was this one with a red dress and long pink hair who was really the epitome of elegance. She was stunnin'. But no, I'm wrong, my Ino was by far the most beautiful one."

Sakura repressed a tiny smile of surprise at Mrs Yamanaka's words. She had a pretty good idea of whom the girl in the red dress might be.

Knowing that her employer was quite drunk, Sakura wanted to do something for her, but the woman didn't let her. Mrs Yamanaka told her quite rudely she could go home and then closed the restaurant behind her. Still mumbling and rambling about various things, the older woman wobbled towards a car where her husband was expecting her and got in.

Sakura went home. When she reached her apartment, she had a shower and got ready for bed. Only when she was already under the sheets, did she allow herself to finally think about Uchiha Itachi.

The evening had been great. She loved dancing, and Itachi was a great dancer. And she liked having conversation with him. He was clever and they had broached many different subjects.

However, that was the nice part of the evening. He had actually recognized her. That was a problem. If anyone found out… then Ino, the Gossip Queen, would find out as well. And Mrs Yamanaka right after her. True, she had begged Itachi to keep her identity a secret, but she wouldn't blame him if he didn't listen to her. After all, she had given him his gift back – the rose – and had kissed him just to get free from his grasp.

She had kissed him. _Kissed_ him! Sakura tried to remember how it had felt. She hadn't had the time to focus on it in that moment, but now she could recall it, and, even with a mask, she found it was… nice. Yes. His lips were soft but firm, and she would have enjoyed lingering a bit longer.

And then another thing hit her. Itachi had reacted badly when she had mentioned his brother. He had seemed to change his demeanour completely, becoming almost dangerous. What was the meaning of that?

Sakura was exhausted, so she decided to sleep a little. The next day would be another day. She would collect her belongings and try to avoid Uchiha Itachi. Or better, find him and clarify some things. Or better still…

Sleep overcame her.

…

...

The next morning, Sakura woke up with a light headache. The events of the previous evening crashed down on her and she shuddered a little.

_Let's stay calm,_ she decided. _And let's focus on one thing at a time_.

She got up, got dressed and cleaned her apartment a little, as she did every Sunday. Then she took her phone and called Sai.

He told her that, with Shizune's help, everything had gone smoothly. The restaurant had actually remained empty the entire night. Sakura thanked him gratefully for his help. When he asked her about her night, she quickly and curtly answered that it had been fine and hung up a little while later.

She then called Hinata. The shy girl was happy to hear from her and told her that the last evening had been very nice for both Naruto and her. She asked how Sakura had been, because she had seen her dancing with Uchiha Itachi. Sakura managed to find an excuse and hung up again.

The next calls where to Shizune and Konan, who both wanted to know about her night. Again, Sakura stayed quiet. She didn't know what to tell them.

As soon as she finished calling around, she went to Kakashi's to get her bag back. She didn't give him time to ask anything, claiming she had to go. She took her clothes home.

Before she went to the university to get her dress and her accessories back, she carefully observed herself in the mirror. She made sure her hair was properly covered and her clothes were her usual ones. Casual and with a hint of elegance, but not classy nor revealing. She didn't want to look anything like the previous evening.

She knew it was probably a waste of time, since it was Sunday and very few students went to the university. But she didn't want to take any chances.

When she arrived, she carefully looked around. There was no one. She went towards the emergency exit next to the Yamanaka restaurant and found her bag with her things. She carefully folded her dress and made sure it was well-hidden inside the bag. Everything else she threw inside carelessly. She would arrange her things later, when she was safely at home.

She was about to take all her stuff and exit the room, when she thought she heard a noise. She stopped her actions and listened.

When the sound didn't repeat itself, she shrugged it off. She was about to pick up her bag and leave, when a strong arm encircled her waist and a hand was put on her mouth.

Sakura screamed.

…

…

…

A/N:

Just to clarify: Mrs Yamanaka is speaking while drunk, and the people she's referring to… the blonde who's a lesbian would be Sailor Uranus from Sailor Moon, and the woman with long brown hair would be the Mizukage, Mei Terumi. I like making references to other characters.

And now to the sore subject… As I wrote in my profile, I'm going to be abroad the whole first week of February (believe me, it's not vacation). I won't be able to edit the new chapter, even less update it. I sincerely apologize for this. There is also another reason why I might not be able to update for a while. The region where I live is currently under a high-alert because there might be a flood very soon. If it should happen, and I hope it won't, I will not be able to do anything internet-related.

Thank you _so much_ for reading and reviewing! You have no idea how much it means to me!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: thank you so much for your reviews!

Much love from a short stop in Zürich, Switzerland, where I could finally edit this chapter!

…

…

…

Actually, Sakura _tried_ to scream, but the hand on her mouth prevented her from doing so.

She desperately struggled and the other person had a hard time in trying to keep her in its grasp.

Sakura thought she saw a glimpse of black hair and her fear grew. Was it Sasuke…?

Now really desperate, Sakura tried to break free with all her might. After the initial shock had subsided, she knew screaming wouldn't help. They were in a secluded part of the university, and it was Sunday. But before she could actually unleash her fighting skills, a voice near her ear said, with a slightly laboured tone, "Stop struggling, rose-girl."

Sakura stopped immediately and her eyes widened in shock. She turned around in the man's arms.

"Itachi?" she exclaimed, surprised. Deep relief filled her and she spontaneously leaned against him. "Thank God, I thought it was Sasuke…"

The pink-haired student immediately realized she had said something wrong. Itachi went rigid and regarded her with the same sharp gaze of the previous evening.

And Sakura also noticed, a bit belatedly, that she had actually implicitly admitted she was the same girl of the night before, even if he had already known. She would have slapped herself for her carelessness.

Itachi grabbed her shoulders, very firmly. "Rose-girl," he said, with a very serious tone, "I ask you again. What did my selfish brother do to you? And this time," his hold tightened, "you won't escape with just a kiss."

Sakura's mind was in turmoil. What should she do? She wished she could skip that confrontation, but it was due to happen anyway.

Itachi seemed to sense her discomfort, because he suddenly released her. The next instant Sakura, with a yelp of surprise, found herself lifted up in the air and firmly held against Uchiha Itachi's chest. Holding her bridal-style, he went towards a bench that was just outside the little room and sat down, pulling her into his lap. His arms were around her waist and kept her securely in place.

Sakura wasn't really more comfortable in that position, so intimately close to him, but she couldn't tell him that. And Itachi's dark eyes were determined; he wanted to know, and he wouldn't budge.

"Well," Sakura began prudently, "Haven't you already asked your brother?"

His grasp became tighter. "Sasuke isn't someone I can consider a brother anymore, rose-girl. I know he has done many people wrong, but I want, no, I _need_ to know," and his eyes flickered with an emotion Sakura didn't recognize, "what he did to _you_."

Sakura's eyes suddenly widened. Was that… possessiveness? Was Itachi…

"You're… _worried about me_?" Sakura asked, puzzled.

Itachi tensed. But before he could answer, Sakura continued, "But how is it possible? You don't even know me…"

Itachi didn't move an inch. "I'm still waiting for answers, rose-girl," he warned.

Sakura sighed. Fine, then. "I will tell you, okay? But please promise me," and again she was very serious, "that everything will remain between you and me."

Itachi nodded. The look in his eyes was confirmation enough for Sakura. So she extended her hand.

"Let's begin again. I'm Haruno Sakura," she introduced herself. "Nice to meet you."

…

...

"…and he threatened to expel Hinata, but of course I couldn't allow that, so I didn't say anything. Well, actually, I told the restaurant manager to install hidden cameras all around the place, so his actions are probably on tape right now."

Sakura had finished her story. She had told him everything, from Sasuke's first attempts of hitting on her – and in that moment Itachi's hold had become so tight it had actually hurt – to the previous night's events.

The Uchiha genius was silent for a while. The emerald-eyed young woman was a bit apprehensive. What would he do now?

He finally spoke. "Aside from sabotaging your job and… _hitting _on you, did my brother do anything else against you?"

Sakura shook her head. "No, he didn't."

Itachi seemed to relax a little. He then said, "Don't worry, _Sakura_," and her name came out like a caress, which made her actually shiver, "I won't tell anyone that the wonderful woman of yesterday night was you."

Sakura smiled. "Thanks," she said, with genuine gratitude. She then got free of his grasp and went to collect her bag. But before she could reach it, a hand grabbed hers.

"And where do you think you're going now?" Itachi asked, his voice deeper and his gaze intense.

Sakura was confused and, admittedly, a bit wary. "Taking my things home…"

The tall man smirked a little. "Not before you repay me for kissing me last night."

Sakura blushed profusely. She tried to justify herself. "I had to go back to the restaurant before midnight! It was the only way to get free from your hold and…"

Before she could finish the sentence, she was gently pushed against the wall. And before she could realize what was happening, Itachi's lips were on hers.

Sakura's eyes widened. Itachi kissed her carefully, gently. He then began playing with his tongue, passing it over her lips almost methodically, and slowly coaxing her into opening her mouth. When Sakura hesitated, he bit down softly. She gasped, and that gave him access, which he greedily accepted.

He was an _amazing_ kisser, Sakura had the time to think. Even if he deepened the kiss quickly, he didn't do anything that she wouldn't have wanted. When their tongues began battling for dominance, Sakura felt that he was obviously holding back. That thought disturbed her. She didn't _want_ him to hold back.

But before the kiss could escalate further, Itachi pulled back. His smirk was in place, and he didn't seem much fazed.

"I believe we are even now, Sakura," he said, with a very strange expression. He then turned around and left.

Sakura was left with a bittersweet taste in her mouth, wondering what on earth he had meant with that.

…

…

…

A/N: It couldn't be already finished, right? Sorry, but it would be too easy if they clarified everything immediately. There's still the matter with Sasuke, and the staff-meeting on Thursday.

I'm still not at home… I have no idea when I'll be able to post a new chapter.

And by the way… yes, Itachi is jealous.

Thanks for reading&reviewing!

(and if anyone cares... it seems the flood didn't occur, thankfully)


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I wanted to thank Silverambush and LaLaPluie for their kindness regarding the difficult situation of the region where I live. And I also thank everyone else for the reviews!

I always forgot to mention this… I'm sorry about the harsh language I had to use in some points of Cinderella Of Konoha. I don't like swearing, but sometimes it was (and will be) needed.

…

…

…

After her… meeting with Itachi, Sakura had taken her bag home. There she put everything in its right place and started preparing dinner. It was a bit early, but she needed to keep herself occupied.

What had Itachi meant when he had said "we are even"? Did it mean he considered every contact between them over? Maybe… He didn't want anything to do with her anymore?

To Sakura's great surprise, that thought was very… disappointing. It meant that there was nothing between them. It meant she had been wrong in assuming he was a bit jealous about Sasuke, and a bit possessive of her.

The pink-haired student was confused. If he just wanted them to be even, why had he kissed her so thoroughly?

Frustrated, Sakura decided to make a quick stop at the orphanage before beginning her night shift at the restaurant. She had to work that night, too.

Konan and Pain were surprised to see her, but happy nonetheless. The children, of course, were overjoyed, and asked her repeatedly to stay longer. Hating to disappoint them, Sakura had to explain she had work to do, so they let her go with sad smiles, which bloomed into happy ones when she promised she would bring candies the next time.

Konan asked her about the previous evening, but again Sakura avoided the question. She then quickly left for the restaurant.

…

...

The next morning, Sakura had classes again. She met Hinata, and she managed to keep the topic on school matters. They had lunch together, during which she helped the shy girl with a few things she hadn't quite understood in class.

Sakura did her best to avoid Itachi. She had caught glimpses of him various times during the day, but had taken the opposite direction every time she spotted him.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. Sakura would receive her results about the nurse exams only on Friday, and since those grades would determine her next course, she didn't have much else to do in the meantime.

After her last class, when evening was already approaching, Sakura went to collect a few things she needed from her personal locker. Lockers at Uchiha University weren't exactly like high-school ones. They were bigger, the lock was quite complicated and it needed a key. Not that it was a problem in such a prestigious place, but it assured everyone's privacy. The lockers had tiny holes for air to pass through.

That evening, Sakura found a piece of paper shoved inside. It was a note written quickly on an old and crumpled yellowish paper. She didn't have much time, so she put it in her bag and walked quickly to the restaurant. While she was putting her uniform on, she read it.

_Hey Sakura! Wanna hang around with me tomorrow? Meet me outside school. Xxx Itachi_

The pink-haired woman furrowed her brow. "Hey Sakura"? "Wanna"? "Hang around"? "School"? "Xxx"? Itachi couldn't possibly have written that. And certainly not on such a crumpled piece of paper. And surely not with the suggestion, so badly phrased and ill written, of skipping university classes.

Only someone inside the university could have given her that. As far as she knew, there was only one Itachi there, so someone had deliberately used his name. But who could it be?

_Uchiha Sasuke,_ Sakura thought with a mental snarl.

She almost crushed the paper in her hand. But then she decided otherwise.

Quite luckily, the next day would be Tuesday. Itachi was rumoured to go to the university library early on Tuesday mornings. She would go there, too, then.

Mind made up, Sakura went to do her shift.

…

...

Itachi sighed contentedly. He loved Tuesday mornings. He was quite methodical in his habits, and he had chosen Tuesday as the day he would spend in the library. He enjoyed reading, not only for his studies, but also various other things.

That morning, ha had been eyeing the medical ward. Some of the things the rose-girl – her name was _Sakura_, he repeated to himself; quite a lovely and fitting name, actually – had told him about her studies had intrigued him, and he wanted to check out a few things on his own.

He was quite absorbed in his research, so he didn't pay much attention when he felt another presence in the library. It wasn't often, but sometimes other people came there as well, even if it was early in the morning.

But he didn't expect the person to come exactly towards him. He lifted his eyes, only to meet the emerald ones of Haruno Sakura.

Itachi was used to hiding his surprise. So he simply arched one eyebrow.

"Sakura," he greeted evenly. "What brings you here?"

"I was looking for you, actually," she answered.

Itachi's eyebrow shot higher. "And what can I help you with?"

Sakura regarded him for a moment. Itachi took that opportunity to lower his gaze to her lips. It would have been so easy to kiss her…

"You didn't give me this note, did you? Because if you did, I have to seriously reconsider my opinion of you," Sakura said, doing her best to ignore the way his eyes where lingering on her lips.

She handed him the almost ruined piece of paper. Itachi's expression remained even at first, but then his eyes became slits. There was something awfully familiar about that note. "Sasuke," he snarled quietly.

Sakura exhaled. She had been right. "That's what I thought. But there is also something else."

She took a deep breath. "Since this note seems to come from Sasuke, he has probably realized that I was the girl in the red dress Saturday evening. He has probably seen us together, and wanted to lure me into a trap or something. But the fact that he didn't tell Mrs Yamanaka and I'm not already fired means that he doesn't know about my precarious position. And if he doesn't know… it means he wasn't the one who stole the money at the restaurant."

Itachi listened to her, but also thought about another thing. She had said she didn't think he would write such a note to her, and he was glad she seemed to think better of him than that. But there was still something about that note that was nagging him.

"Someone else must have stolen the money," Sakura continued. "But I can't imagine who."

Itachi regarded her silently. "You said the manager has installed hidden cameras. She probably knows who the thief is. And on Thursday, during the staff-meeting, it will be revealed. I don't see where the problem is, Sakura," he replied.

Sakura was quiet for a while. "You're right," she said finally. "Sorry for bothering you with this. I know how much you enjoy your Tuesday mornings," she added with a sincere smile, and turned around to leave.

Something suddenly clicked inside Itachi's head. He grabbed Sakura's hand and stopped her. "Don't go, Sakura," he said, with urgency in his voice. "I now remember why that note seemed so strange. You're right in thinking that my brother is luring you into a trap. The last time I saw a similar one," and his voice became grave, "was when Sasuke wrote it to a girl he raped later on. I will not," and his voice became dangerous, "allow this to happen again."

Sakura's eyes were large. Sasuke wanted to rape her?

Itachi immediately encircled her waist protectively with one arm and caressed her cheek with the other hand. "I know you are an independent girl, Sakura," he said, "and I know you are able to defend yourself, because you almost ripped an arm off me last time I took you by surprise, but," and his tone was now deadly serious, "Sasuke isn't to be underestimated. He never acts alone, and he will stop before nothing in order to get what he wants. Please," and Sakura was surprised to hear an underlying hint of deep worry in his voice, "and I know how selfish this sounds, but will you not leave my side until I know you're safe?"

The pink-haired woman was beyond astonished. Itachi cared _so_ deeply about her?

"It's not a problem for me," she managed to say. Than she added, almost as an afterthought, "It would make me feel safer, too."

Itachi relaxed a little. "You won't have to suffer my company for too long. On Thursday Sasuke will be exposed and, with no Uchiha help, he will probably be convicted. I'll leave you alone then."

Sakura decided to risk it. "What if I don't want you to leave me alone?"

Itachi's eyes flashed, and Sakura saw the familiar shadow of blue in them. Then it disappeared again. "We will talk about this later. For now," and he took her hand, "you are to keep me company in the library, since I'm not going to change my habits anytime soon."

…

...

They were still in the library by lunch time. It had been quite pleasant, to Sakura's surprise. They had talked about a lot of things, but especially about books. Their tastes were quite similar. But they had also spent some time reading in companionable silence, and each of them had chosen the book the other was to read.

It had been a very nice morning. No, scratch that – it had been a _wonderful_ morning.

Sakura had felt incredibly at ease with Itachi. She enjoyed being near him, and he seemed to enjoy her company as well. And the way he sometimes looked at her, with a mix of tenderness and affection, made her heart flutter. She was incredibly happy.

But with lunch time, reality came back as well. Sighing, Sakura helped Itachi put the books back and then walked to the canteen with him. He didn't leave her side for a second.

Right after lunch, Sakura made some phone calls to all her friends. She vaguely summarized the events of Saturday night, and explained everything would be fine on Thursday, when there would – finally – be the staff-meeting at the restaurant.

The rest of the day passed similarly. They both didn't have classes, so they just enjoyed each other's company. And talked. Talked, talked, talked.

Sakura was happy to be with him, but also anxious. Not about the threat Sasuke posed to her, because she knew she could handle herself and Itachi would make sure she was safe.

No, she was restless because it seemed to her that her time with Itachi was limited. On Thursday Sasuke would be exposed and everything would be over. That meant that the tall, dark-haired man wouldn't have to 'protect' her anymore, and they would part ways. The thought made her heart constrict painfully.

Did that mean their relationship would end?

But what kind of relationship did they have anyway?

Sakura made her mind up. She decided to push those thoughts aside and make the most of what she had.

When it was evening, Itachi insisted on accompanying her to the restaurant for her shift. Later that night, after her shift would be over, the pink-haired student would walk home with Sai, whom she had already convinced to come.

At the Yamanakas', they parted ways. Sakura didn't really know how to tell Itachi goodnight, but he took the matter into his own hands.

He pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely on the lips. Before Sakura could actually realize what was happening, he had already released her.

Brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear, he whispered, "Goodnight, rose-girl." And he disappeared.

Sakura went inside the restaurant with a little smile, and also a little frown, on her face.

…

...

The following morning, the emerald-eyed student had just closed her apartment when she met the intense gaze of Uchiha Itachi.

She jumped a little in surprise. "Itachi? What are you doing here?" For a moment, she also wondered how he had found her house, before remembering that she had given him her address the previous evening.

Itachi walked towards her and put a protective arm around her waist. "Making sure you're okay," and there was so much worry in his voice, Sakura got a lump in her throat.

"I don't want be intrusive, Sakura, but I do want to be here for you," he murmured.

Speechless, Sakura could only nod in understanding.

They walked to the university together. Before they reached the front gates, however, Sakura stopped dead in her tracks.

"What is it, Sakura?" Itachi asked immediately.

Sakura was observing a point not far from them, where some trees hid the view. "I could have sworn… Never mind. I must have been mistaken. Let's continue."

Itachi was suspicious, but grabbed her hand and continued towards the university.

Sakura felt suddenly some form of premonition. Something… something was going to happen that day. A confrontation of some sorts. She squeezed Itachi's hand tighter.

During the day, she couldn't concentrate on any of her lessons. She was incredibly nervous, even if she couldn't explain why.

When the lessons were over, it was already late afternoon. It was getting dark outside. Sakura went to her locker and left most of her things there. She wouldn't need them at home.

Itachi had told her he would meet her by the front gates. So she walked towards them.

Since it was dark, she couldn't see very distinctively, but she thought she saw someone with black hair waiting for her. She quickened her step.

"Itachi!" she called, when she was near him.

Suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist forcefully.

"Gotcha, Haruno."

And Sakura found herself staring into the vicious eyes of Uchiha Sasuke.

…

…

…

A/N: I'm just evil, I know. Please don't hate me…

Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	8. Chapter 8

…

…

…

Sakura was paralyzed with fear. Uchiha Sasuke was in front of her. And she was alone with him. At night.

The man smiled cruelly. "I've been looking forward to this. Now I will give you what you deserve, you bitch."

Sakura didn't know why, but those spiteful words made her fear vanish.

She observed him with new eyes. He was nothing but a selfish and arrogant human being.

And she would _not_ let herself be stomped upon by him.

But he was not finished. "You women must learn your place. And you'll realize how wrong you were when you rejected me."

He then tried to put her wrist behind her back to immobilize her, but Sakura was having none of it.

She was a woman, for heaven's sake! A courageous and strong woman! And she would defend herself. She was _not_ a helpless damsel in distress that would be insulted or taken advantage of by him.

She freed herself from his grasp. And before he could react, she slapped him. Hard. So hard that he fell on the ground.

"Don't you dare, Uchiha Sasuke," Sakura spat. "Women are not toys. And if you ever make the mistake of thinking that again, I will make you pay." She took a few menacing steps towards him, and he quickly retreated in fright. "I'm not going to let myself be insulted by a selfish bastard like you."

Sasuke was still on the ground, pale with fear. He shouted, "Come out, you two! Teach this weakling a lesson!"

Sakura prepared herself for the fight. But instead of Sasuke's two companions, it was Itachi who came out of the shadows.

"So sorry, Sasuke," he said coldly. "Your two friends are momentarily unable to respond."

Sakura was incredibly happy to see him.

So happy that she turned her back on Sasuke to meet Itachi's eyes.

Sasuke saw his chance. He got a knife out of his pocket and ran towards Sakura. Itachi's eyes widened and he made a move to stop him.

But before either of them could do anything, Sakura took control again. She spun on her heels, grabbed Sasuke's wrist in order to keep the knife far from her, and punched him in the face with the other hand. A sick sound of broken bones could be heard.

"That's for calling me a weakling, you asshole," Sakura snarled, with her eyes flashing dangerously.

Sasuke whimpered helplessly, carefully touching his broken nose with one hand. The other was still held in the air by Sakura. She tightened her hold until he was forced to drop the knife. She kicked it away.

"Let's go home, Itachi," Sakura said, still with a ferocious expression on her face. She let go of Sasuke and walked away.

Itachi joined her almost immediately. "Make sure to never meet me again under any circumstances, little brother. Or I will show you the deepest realms of hell." His tone was formal and cold, but Sakura could feel the anger boiling underneath.

They both turned and walked away together, leaving Sasuke to his destiny.

…

...

When they were far enough, Sakura let out a deep breath. It was over.

Itachi remained silent, but he put an arm around her waist in silent support. He was immersed in deep thought.

Right after the end of the lessons, he had gone the front gates to meet Sakura. However, he had noticed two muscular guys, not very far away, who were trying to hide behind some trees. He had immediately recognized them as Sasuke's partners, Suigetsu and Juugo. He had understood they were probably there to ambush Sakura.

Itachi knew that she was able to defend herself. But he also knew she would have a hard time against three opponents. So he had quietly sneaked behind the two and attacked them. He had been able to find the pressure points of the taller one immediately. The other, however, had tried to put up a fight. In the end, Itachi had had to hit him hard on the back of his head in order to make him pass out.

He had then rushed back to the gates, only to see Sakura slap Sasuke. He had been surprised – and impressed – by her strength. He had then come out to inform his foolish brother that he was on his own.

He had seen him try to react, taking out a knife. The instant he had seen that knife aimed at Sakura, his heart had almost stopped. But before he could intervene, Sakura had acted.

The way she had defended herself and the fierceness in her eyes had made Itachi certain of one thing.

He was never, _ever_, going to let go of her.

Therefore, he was now guiding her towards his apartment. He saw that the weariness of that nerve-racking day and especially of those last stressful minutes was beginning to get at Sakura. And he knew he couldn't leave her alone that night.

He also knew she wouldn't be doing her night shift at the restaurant. He had already called in the late afternoon, saying she was ill. And the woman who had answered, apparently named Shizune, had seemed genuinely concerned for Sakura. So it should not have been a problem.

Anyway, it was time to go home. The pink-haired woman was quite exhausted. Having the better of Sasuke had been incredibly satisfying, but she was now very tired. She confusedly noticed they weren't headed towards her apartment.

"Itachi, I don't live…"

He interrupted her. "I know where you live, Sakura. But tonight you're going to stay at my place. I'm not leaving you alone."

Sakura tensed a little. At his place? But…

"I'm not going to do anything to you, rose-girl," he added, with a hint of a smile. "I just want to make sure you're safe."

Sakura didn't feel like arguing. Besides, she trusted Itachi. She leaned more into him, and he gently tightened his embrace.

They arrived at a quiet place not far from her own. The apartment was little, but comfortable and tidy. There was a kitchen, a small bathroom, a bedroom and quite a large living room with two comfortable couches.

Without even thinking about anything else, Sakura collapsed on one couch. Itachi didn't let go of her, and arranged them both on the same couch. He covered them with a blanket and went to sleep, with Sakura safely engulfed in his arms.

…

...

The next morning, Sakura awoke feeling quite drowsy. Her pillow wasn't as comfortable as usual, and her bed was a lot smaller than she remembered. Then she noticed she wasn't in her bed.

Her head shot up immediately, and she tried to get up. But something was preventing her from doing so. Sakura blinked, and stared into the still-sleeping face of Itachi.

Or maybe he wasn't sleeping anymore, because he placidly opened his eyes and regarded her attentively.

"Good morning, Sakura," he said, voice a bit raspy, tilting his head to the side a little.

Sakura smiled at him. "Morning," she answered happily. She revelled in his warmth for a while.

And then she realized what she was doing. Getting beat-red, she tried to get away from him, but his arms kept her firmly against him.

"You don't need to be afraid of me," Itachi said, mistaking her embarrassment for apprehension.

Sakura stopped struggling. "I don't," she said. "I'm embarrassed."

"And why would that be?" he asked.

Sakura blushed a bit more. "Well, we are in a bit of a compromising position," she admitted.

"I have nothing against making it more compromising." And with a smirk, Itachi kissed her.

Without even thinking, Sakura kissed him back. They enjoyed it for a few minutes, keeping it chaste.

Then the pink-haired student snapped out of their kiss. "It's Thursday today!" she exclaimed. "Oh, no, my night shift yesterday…!"

"Don't worry, I called and told the restaurant you were ill," Itachi reassured her. "But you are right, rose-girl, it's Thursday."

"We have the staff-meeting!" Sakura said, excitedly. "It's going to start at ten and…" Then her expression changed. "Oh my God, what time is it? I need to take a shower and prepare and…"

Itachi chuckled. The sound was so strange that Sakura openly gaped at him. He got up as well and swept her up in his arms. "Oh, Sakura," he said, "I hope you know that today isn't where our paths divide, but where they unite. Forever," he added, and looked into her eyes intensely.

Sakura felt hope grow inside her. "Do you mean it?" she asked, half-serious, half-hopeful.

"I would never lie to you, my beautiful, incredible, mind-blowing and absolutely irresistible Sakura," he told her earnestly.

Sakura jumped into his embrace.

And there were no more words needed between them.

…

…

…

A/N:

No, you perverts ;-). They are _not_ going to engage in intimate activities. Not right now, at least.

And I _loved_ the confrontation with Sasuke. I'm pretty fond of kick-ass Sakura (Tsunade had taught her how to defend herself, remember?). I didn't want her to suffer because of Sasuke, nor did I want her to be the helpless damsel who has to be saved. So in the end Itachi _does _help her, but indirectly. I hope it makes sense, somehow. And I also hope that I didn't disappoint anyone who wanted Itachi to save her.

Thank you so much for reading!

(and happy Valentine's Day!)


	9. Chapter 9

…

…

A while later, after Itachi had taken a shower and had changed, they went to Sakura's apartment. She had to shower as well, and she took all the other things she needed.

When she was ready, they went to the restaurant. Itachi had already asked her if he could stay for the staff-meeting, and she had told him yes, if her employers allowed it.

The restaurant was closed, as it was every time there was a staff-meeting. Besides, it was morning, so it was very unlikely that there would be any costumers.

Mr and Mrs Yamanaka were already there, and eyed Sakura with open hostility. That soon faded when they noticed with whom her hand was intertwined with.

"Uchiha… Itachi?" Ino, who was there as well, stammered.

"Well, yes, he's my…" and Sakura hesitated. What exactly was he?

"…boyfriend," Itachi helped. "I hope it's okay if I assist."

The Yamanakas nodded in puzzlement. But Mrs Yamanaka added, "His presence won't help you keep your job, Haruno."

Shizune stepped in with authority, making her way among the other staff members. "First we have to determine whether she is guilty or not."

"Ah, the cameras you mentioned. Show us the footages," Mrs Yamanaka ordered.

Shizune hesitated. "About the theft… I'd rather not everyone saw the tapes, because…"

"I don't care what _you'd rather_! Show everyone what lying thief Haruno is!" Mrs Yamanaka insisted.

Shizune's face hardened. "Fine, then. Remember it was you who asked for it."

The restaurant manager took the tapes and proceeded to show them what had happened in the restaurant. First, she showed how Uchiha Sasuke had intentionally been sabotaging Haruno Sakura's job, many times. And his threatening words were very clear.

Then Shizune went forward to Thursday of the week before. And, to everyone's astonishment…

"_Ino!_" Mrs Yamanaka shrieked, watching as her daughter appeared on the video as she took a few hundred bucks in cash from the front bar.

Shzune purposely didn't comment on anything.

When they had gone through all the videos, Shizune switched off everything. Then she turned around to face her employers. The room was unnaturally quiet.

"I believe it was proven that Haruno Sakura is innocent. Someone else is at fault here."

Mrs Yamanaka was blushing furiously. After another few tense minutes of silence, Shizune's gaze still hadn't wavered.

Mr Yamanaka then stepped in. "Haruno, we sincerely apologize for our wrong behaviour. Your extra shifts will be paid double, and you will have your normal schedule again. That is, of course, if you still wish to work here. You have all the rights to sue us for the unjust allegations we accused you of."

Sakura shook her head. "I'm not going to sue you, Mr Yamanaka. Thank you for apologizing. I would like to continue working here."

"And about you, Ino…" Mr Yamanaka said coldly to his daughter. "We are going to talk later, and believe me, it will be no pleasant talk."

Ino got beat red and hurriedly left the room. Mrs Yamanaka still hadn't said a word.

Shizune cleared her throat. "I hope you'll agree, Mr Yamanaka, if I suggest we take legal action against Uchiha Sasuke for his… activities. We have proof enough." Her eyes rapidly flickered to Itachi, but he, understanding her unspoken question, merely shrugged.

"He is not someone I consider family anymore," he said casually, "I don't care about his trial problems."

Both Shizune and Mr Yamanaka nodded. They exchanged a glance.

"If there are no other matters, I'd suggest we re-adjourn this meeting on a later date," Mr Yamanaka concluded.

He and the other staff members left the room. Shizune grinned triumphantly at Sakura, who simply smiled back. The manager then embraced her and left the room as well.

Sakura remained alone with Itachi. She took a deep breath. It was over.

Itachi embraced her from behind. "Are you happy now, Sakura?"

She smiled a little. "I think so," she answered. "However, there are still things I have to do."

"Yes," Itachi nodded. "I hope you realize it isn't good for you to continue working here. Even if they apologized, they have accused you of theft. There are other better jobs. And if you need support, I'm going to be there for you, no matter what."

Sakura replied, "Don't worry, when I turn twenty-one I'll leave this job. I will no longer need a financial support from then onwards. And you know I would never accept any help if I can't give something back."

Itachi chuckled a little. "I don't want to have anything back, because I think we are going to share everything from now on. Or when you feel ready for it," he corrected himself.

Sakura turned around into his embrace, so she could face him. "We will talk about this when the time comes," she said confidently. "But I wasn't talking about this when I said there are other things I need to do." She took a deep breath. "I'm going to denounce Uchiha Sasuke for the assault of yesterday evening."

Itachi stilled, and Sakura observed him anxiously. Would he be opposed to that?

After a while, he spoke. "I agree with you. Sasuke should be punished for his actions. But I want to know," and he regarded her carefully, "if you are sure about this."

"I am," Sakura said, firmly.

Itachi nodded, satisfied. "Then I'll gladly testify for you."

She smiled and embraced him. She then turned around and went towards the exit. But before she could reach it, his voice stopped her.

"Wait, Sakura," Itachi said. "I have one last thing to give you."

She turned around, only to see something unexpected. The tall Uchiha was handing her a rose.

And not just any rose.

It was the rose he had picked for her the night of the ball.

…

…

…

A/N: So… Cinderella Of Konoha is pretty much finished. There's going to be an epilogue, but it ends here.

If anyone cares… Sakura is going to pass her nurse-exams with flying colours, just like Konan predicted. She will no longer be in the same class as Ino.

And why is Mrs Yamanaka such a bitch: well, I needed someone for the role of the evil stepmother. And there are few women in Naruto. So I picked a minor character.

Thank you so much for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

**...**

**A/N**: I would like to dedicate this last chapter to all the people that took the time to read my stories, even more to those who reviewed, with special consideration for LaLaPluie, who taught me that even online friendship is possible; but above all, I dedicate this to amaterasu018. You were the first to review my work, you have supported every single story I wrote, and I'm really grateful for it. Thank you.

Reviews really mean a lot to me. They make my day. So thank you, everyone, truly.

…

…

…

EPILOGUE

_Seven years later_

Sakura finished her long day and locked the door of her office at the hospital. She was quite tired, having had two surgeries and many appointments. But she was also satisfied. Everything had turned out fine.

She walked towards home, looking forward to seeing her children again. Ayane was almost four now, and she had had a little cold the previous day. Itachi had taken the day free to look after her. Kenji instead was full of energy, even if he was just two. Both children were intelligent and mischievous, and their parents adored them. Life was perfect.

When she arrived home, Sakura noticed that some roses were starting to bloom in their garden.

She smiled to herself and thought about the university ball of several years before. Itachi had given her a red rose back then. Every year, on that special anniversary, he gave her another rose.

He had gotten his degree not long after their first meeting. Three years after the ball, after they had gotten to know each other better, and when Sakura had just gotten her degree as well and found a job at the hospital, he had asked her to marry him. She had been overjoyed and obviously accepted.

The roses outside their house didn't bring back only happy memories. Sakura also remembered Sasuke's trial. It hadn't been a pleasant experience. Especially because she had put a lot of effort into it. Together with Itachi, she had gone to visit Karin, one of the girls who had been raped by Sasuke, and had asked her to testify against him. Karin had been afraid, since she knew how cruel Sasuke was. But Sakura and Itachi had managed to convince her. And Karin had then told them about other girls who had suffered her same destiny. All three together had looked for them and convinced them to be at Sasuke's trial.

With such accusations, Sasuke couldn't escape conviction. He was still in prison, and would remain there for a long time. The judge, who had a deep sense of justice – his name was Morino Ibiki –, had made sure of that.

Sakura thought about other things in her life while she opened the house door and walked inside.

The children at the orphanage had grown up and were now going to high school. Konan and Pain couldn't have been happier. Sakura still visited them, often accompanied by Itachi and her own children.

Naruto and Hinata were engaged. Hinata had grown more confident over the years, and had only recently found out that Sakura had almost lost her job at the Yamanakas' restaurant, years before, because Sasuke had threatened the Hyuga woman. To thank Sakura for her selflessness, Hinata had organized an enormous surprise party for her twenty-seventh birthday. It had been a wonderful day, and it had strengthened the bond between the two women.

Sai had become quite a famous artist. He now travelled abroad together with his younger brother, only sometimes visiting them. But when he did, he was always welcomed warmly.

Kakashi was still the same old Kakashi. He often came to babysit Itachi and Sakura's children when they both had to work.

Shizune still worked at the Yamanakas' restaurant, only that now it was _her_ restaurant. The Yamanakas had decided to sell it to her before buying a flower shop instead. Sakura hadn't kept in contact with them, but two years before, right after her second child had been born, Ino had visited her. She had told her she was sorry for having behaved like a bitch, and explained she had been jealous and envious of her. She hoped that someday the pink-haired woman would forgive her. Sakura had told her she would not be holding a grudge and they had parted amicably.

Sakura shook those thoughts away. Her life had become perfect now. She closed the door behind her and put her coat away. It was getting a bit too warm for it, the blooming roses outside proved it. She walked to the living room. A lovely scene was expecting her.

Ayane was lying on a couch, with a blue blanket around her, sleeping peacefully. On another couch, Itachi, humming softly, was holding a dozing Kenji in his lap.

Sakura smiled widely and sat down next to him, kissing his cheek. "How has it been today?"

Itachi smiled at her and returned her kiss, on the lips this time. "Ayane is feeling much better, and I finally convinced Kenji to sleep."

Sakura caressed her son's cheek softly. "That's impressive. I rarely manage to do so on my own."

Her husband smirked. He then got up and walked to the cradle, where he carefully put Kenji in.

He then turned towards his wife, taking her in his arms. "How was work?"

Sakura yawned. She was tired. "Satisfying, but also demanding. The surgeries went well, thankfully. And the visits were nothing serious."

Itachi guided her to the kitchen. "I've already cooked, if you want something."

Sakura almost jumped on the food. "Oh, you're my saviour!" She wanted to go to bed quickly, but she was also hungry.

While she was eating, Itachi arched an eyebrow. "I understand you're hungry, Sakura, but aren't you eating a little too much?"

Sakura smiled, a really enchanting smile. She put a hand on her belly. "Well, I have to feed someone else too, you know," she said with a saucy wink.

Itachi was barely able to contain his surprise. He was immediately by her side. "Do you mean…"

"Yes," she said with a wide grin. "We're going to be a family of five in a few months."

Sakura thoroughly enjoyed his warm embrace and the passionate kiss that followed.

Yes, life was truly perfect.

…

…

THE END

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A/N: And Cinderella Of Konoha is over… I really hope you liked it. I know it's not very realistic, but hey, it's based on a fairy tale.

I'm not going back to this universe. I have grown fond of it (thanks to your reviews!) but I wouldn't know what to add, because in my mind, this story is finished. However, if I forgot something, please tell me. I will do my best to correct any mistakes.

Thank you, and I genuinely mean it, for reading my work!

Until next time,

KitsuneMiyuKendraHyuga


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